Memory Lane - Port Arthur - Tasmania

About 6 months ago my bestie ( pickleBFF) since high school and I turned the big 40. We decided that instead of a big party, that we would meet up in Tasmania for a long weekend, sans childen and husbands (she lives in Queensland and I'm in Victoria). We had a very chilled out time(it was freezing). Sadly and strangely, we only drank 1 bottle of wine (between us!!) the whole time we were there. Oh, but there was chocolate....and plenty of it........
If you've never been to Tasmania, you must put it on the list. Such a beautiful place and the people are so lovely.
Most of the following photos were taken at Port Arthur, which was a convict settlement.
Warning: This is a VERY long post with lots of pictures (but very few words)

Hobart

Launceston

Hobart (great fish n chips)

Port Arthur

They say many people find pictures of ghosts in their Port Arthur photos. I tried and tried to get one!! This is the best I could come up with.

Inside one of the cottages in Port Arthur

Random crazy woman LOL

BFFpickle...aint she sweet?

By the way, when I got back home, the house was sparkling and the pickles were clean, happy and behaving like angels. Thank you Mr 3P, I must go away again soon!

Linking to

{recipe} Pork and gravy in the slow cooker

Tender, shredded sweet pork in it's own gravy. Perfect to serve with roasted veggies and greens or use for sandwiches on freshly baked bread. (bread recipes coming soon) You can do this same recipe with beef too, although I think it's best with pork. I first saw this recipe on the blog A year of slow cooking, but have tweaked it to suit me a little better.

I use a "bung and bitta" method a lot of the time with my recipes.

Bung = throw it in

Bitta = bit-a this bit-a that

lol

Recipe

In your slow cooker, "bung' in a piece of roasting pork, whatever cut you like. I used shoulder.

Then add a "bitta":

• Dijon or American mustard (about a tablespoon)
• A couple of splashes of vinegar (I used white)
• about 2 teaspoons of garlic (crushed or powder)
• about 1/4 cup of golden syrup or molasses (I used golden syrup)
• toss around with your hands to coat.
• cook on low for about 5 hours.
• when almost ready, add a few tablespoons of a gravy mix (I used gravox)
• give it a good stir to thicken
• serve with veggies or on sandwiches with the gravy
• Enjoy!

I'm linking this post to

Miz Helens

Kelly the Kitchen Kop - Real food Wednesdays

Memory Lane - Sydney Harbour

 Another Memory Lane, this time it's our Christmas Road Trip on the way home to Melbourne we stopped in to visit family in Sydney. It was the first time the pickles had seen Sydney and the first time I had been on one of the ferries on the harbour.

Sydney Opera House

It rained for the trip to Manly, but the sun came out on the trip back.

Mr 3P and Aunty 3P trying to keep all the pickles entertained on the ferry. They had their work cut out for them!

Harbour Bridge.

Luna Park

Pickle #1 being a poser.

We had such a great day. Later that night we travelled to Goldburn to stay the night and then  home to Melbourne the next morning.
I love our family road trips and hope they will form part of many wonderful childhood memories for my pickles. They are growing up way too fast.
Where to next?

I'm linking this post to A Beach Cottage - Good Life Wednesdays.